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THE SUNDAY OREROXIAX, PORTLAND, JUNE 27, 1915.
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CCORDING to a very large numWer
of people having a right to sreak
with authority architects, paint
ers, sculptors, poets, art critics and
students the Panama-Pacific Exposi
tion, apart from all other claims upon
our regard, is a great wGrk of art.
More consistently and positively and
predominantly than any other exposi
tion ever held it 1 artistic. Now that
the first few months have practically
tested Its multiform appeal to the pub
lic It is unmistakably apparent that it
is more fundamentally grounded upon
and more completely saturated with
the power and attraction of art than
anything else. . . ."
"Beautiful."
This is the word you hear more fre
quently than any other word of com
ment from the victors. It is the pub
lic's final' work. It will remain as the
verdict. Long after the buildings have
dissolved like the substance of a dream,
and the statues and the symbols have
disappeared, and the pictures have been
dispersed, and the myriad things which
now combine to form the ucified whole
have fallen apart, the vital message de
livered by art through this exposition
will be working Its will with us. Influ
encing and molding our NatlonaJ
civic and individual lives.
I. was talking the other day with an
artist who was in Holland when the
participation of that nation was still
doubtful.
"Do you - know what decided the
Dutch,?" he asked. "No? Well, It was
the Joseph Pennell drawings of the
projected exposition scheme, and of the
site. I . got - the .information straight
from one of the biggest men in the
"ITnllnTirl ffnvrnmAnt. A nnrtfnllA at
those wonderful drawings so worked lowInK Questions all the more Impor-
by their charm and beauty upon the
is expressed throughout the exposition,
the soul of it all is found in the de
partment explicitly dedicated to its ex
pression in the Palace of Fine Arts.
This is the center. Here is the plexus
from which radiates art's powerful and
practical life. m
Practical? Tea, and most palpa
bly so.
Consider the facts. Especially should
they be considered by those who find
the exposition beautiful as a whole, but
who may hesitate about giving the fine
arts department the attention and study
which they should demote to It. Con
sider how in any age or land where the
expert expression of beauty which is
art is not honored and practiced
houses are ugly, clothes are worse,
utensils, tools, furniture and all so
called "decorations" are inadequate,
unshapely, and inferior, and cities are
mean and gray, and life itself is sad.
and slow, and stupid. And then con
sider how all these conditions are re
versed when art is honored and prac
ticed with love and devotion. Add to
these reflections the further one, al
ready stressed above, that life in these
United States will from now on be
profoundly modified and influenced in
all directions by the artistic beauty of
the Panama-Pacific Exposition, and
layman and critic will agree that art is
a practical, immediate interest, and not
an esoteric cult for high-brow men and
women's clubs.
Which considerations make the fol-
r
Hollanders in control of the govern
ment that It decided the controversy.
Which , is only one more of the innu
merable facta which prove the positive
power of art."
. "The positive power of art!" 1
. There is a wealth of meaning packed
into those five words. Far too many
Americans otherwise well equipped re
gard art as a negative sort of thing.
It amuses women. Or it is a luxury; a
hobby; a plaything. Also, it is "high
brow" a eort of esoteric cult. Or else
It is a sheer edoentrlcity. At all events.
tant, namely: What about the quality
and extent of the fine arts exhibition
In itself, it being the very center of the
exposition art? Is it worthy? Is it a
success?
For answer, let's turn to the palace
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ltself. Enter, and study. In a word, a advance has been made over taught, and where the influence of
let's go, look and see. Especially, let ny previous attempt. France Hals and Rembrandt worked Its
us see. For as Arnold Bennett has Tne second Idea named is. Indeed, a way Into our art and our life,
pointed out, in the matter of looking notable one. To show the development "Impressionism we see brought to' us
without seeing most of us go to and ani tn unbroken mental history of the remarkable group of Theodore Rob
fro in a state of the observing facul- our native art history from its earliest insons. Childe Hassam's room is.an
ties which resembles coma. We are far origins, with the action and interaction other page from Its message.
too content to look and not see. And of artists and schools. foreign atnd "The big outstanding individualities
unless we go to the Palace of Art de- native Influences, this particular such men as Whistler, Sargent, Wln-
tical, everyday life.
And yet the very men who shy away
from "art" talk, or interests, have eyes,
and what's more Important still they
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most exquisite results from first to
last are brought together.
"The same can be said of the Sargent
room. These are his own selection.
They are from the walls of his 'own
studio. There Is the Madame Gautrin,
it Is a side Issue, not related to prac- termlried to really see for ourselves, all chool's power over yonder man, and slow Homer, Twachtman, Redfleld,
our looKing at the things that are there man s coloring or a whole school Chase; they, too, la their varying de-
won't avail to knowledge or progress to show. In a word, the evolution of grees exhibit the influences their artis
in art. ' American art, with the orderly, middle- tic souls reacted to. and show how the
The first thing that Is impressed way work which always predominates ble- t&lenta diir.st nirh lnfiii.nMi .nd
have souls, and when their eyes con- upon ujh and this Is something that we " i"""iy. no tne worKS or genius or glve 1oTth wori in which little trace of
nect their finer selves with the appeal all seem able to- see. laymen and ex- of original, individualistic talent which tne atimulating ideas remain; for all
of beauty as expressed, for example, in pert as well Is the highly unusual tai highest In quality though fewer becomes colored and formed by their
natural things: the sea, the hills, the character of the palace Itself, at least ln number nothing less than this was own individualities
sky. the flowers, a (unset, or the stars, la Its approach. As & matter of fact. It the Plan the fne art directors. And Whistler room is a most re-
they react to the Impressions. And Is a result of the art of painting exert- they nav dn their Job welL They maskable one, as you can see for your-
when they look upon a great, palpable ng a direct, positive effect upon the have done It most excellently well. De- Bel wlta tho nmnatchable Freer col-
acblevement of art. like the Exposition art of architecture. U. R. Mayback, Its "Plte a few missing names, the whole jection. and the Mrs. Huth the Falling
as a whole, they react even more pow- creator, took Arnold Bocklin'a "Island ot American art history can be traced Rocket and th6 oUlera. Then there is
erfully. .. of the Dead" as his erm-ldea for the and studied In a progressive, syste- the et'hln!, room wnera of hi.
eauLixuir mey say, as tne magic uiunua- wuiun suiiraa on tne snores ot "- j " " j " i" "ft1 lutuuma
of the wonderful combination of form the lake in front of the entrance to the devoted to that splendid purpose,
and color and line works Its enchant- galleries, and Gerome's "Chariot Race" ono of the men who worked the
ment; and maybe thatts all they can furnished the motif for the colonnade. programme out said to me as we
say; but they sum up in the one word Here, then, is struck. In this dream- took that panoramic .walk through this
all that more expert criticism can lead made tangible, the note which resounds living history of American art:
up to and Include. through the exposition; the synthetic We don't want to be encyclo- wlth whlch he leaped into fame Her
Those who know more, technically note; the marriage of painting and ar- pedlacal, but we do aim at compre- la the Henry James a master piece,
speaking, can, to be sure, say much chltecture. henslveness. at the .quintessence of the and ,nciaentany notorious because of
more la comment or elucidation, com- Whether or not such an Idea Is the subject. Look at these Copleys, and beinK 8iashed by the suffragettes when
parison or interpretation. Also, they best possible for a permanent thing. Is Stuarts, and Sallys and Wests, and exhibited ln London what wouldn't
can point out the defects, the mistakes, for time and criticism to work out to- study the influence upon them of the we wtl to nave Henry Jemes' own
tht shortcomings. Not even at the gether; but that for an exposition pur- English portrait schools, which are rep- literary account of that matter! The
Pananja-Pacifto do the works of man pose an effect of admirable and haunt- resented with our Gainsboroughs' and aozen pictures in this room are the
usurp the prerogative of the works of lng beauty has been achieved fully, few Reynolds and Romneys and Raeburns. quintessence of Sargent.
God perfection. Like all human at- can doubt. And then may we not say that West 4
tempt to reach the Weal the Ideal re- But what of the more important la his turn. first president of the divldualities surely we can discern the Kround Dy excessiveness or pedantry,
mains -yet o closely adumbrated, so question the Interior question the English Royal Academy, influenced the traces of the food upon which they and We don't want that. What counts
aspirlngly and vigorously followed, success or failure of the exhibition English school? formed their artistic souls? That 18 the more vital matter of art's in-
that the wings of it spiritual presence housed within this dream-house? "Here are the Hudson River men, whistler In the corner for exarrmle- "uence upon life. We doa't Just want
brood over the city of beauty this tri- First of all. let us ask what were Cropsey, Hart. Durand. Worthing, doea lt not show hia' reactio from the stuients and painters here; we
umph of art. And critic as well as lay- the main ideas of those responsible for Whittredge. ending with Bierstadt, who courbet? Then we may look at Courbet want the PePle- we want them in-
man agree that despite all flaws or success or failure. To me It seems that painted In California and ln all prob- and behold the reflection of Whistler - terested: we want them to come and
errors, as a whole it is transcendently two big Ideas animated them; the first, ability brought out here the lnfluence through whom, too the come again. They would not expect to
successful above all other expositions: to give a comprehensive and worthy re- of the panoramic, native landscape . 1,5., 7 Japan g-o Into Machinery Hall and understand
excelling Its nearest rival. Chicago, ln view of the whole modern World of art; method of the Hudson River school. Aw.. .... . .. . aU the meaning
two prime factors originality and the second, to sive a particularly com- and so Influenced both Thomas Hill and valasauez. aotiv - ,i , T , m dynamoes and engines and all the rest
unity. It Is like Chicago In one re prehenslve review of American art. "William Keith in their earlier style, ,.,h X- Z?jL Z. painting of the mechanism there, would they?
epect, nameiy, tnat it gas a special now, in wonting out tneae ideas, it uuro tuuoa in mo "Hei
message, At Chicago that message was should be well remembered that the Barbason school his most congenial l.-.,,-
. t , . . . . . . . m. ... - a -1 , t . .1 W
mo lesson ot iorm tne example ana iirecor were up against aimicuities oc siimuiotiuu, tiainters
stimulation of classical form. At San an absolutely unrecedanted n&turn. "he great names of Innes. Wyant j a: , . . . . . .
Ffanolsco is given the lesson of color, due to the war. In spite of these dif- an Homer Martin, among many others. wlthout past, in view K sPread tnat message when you write."
Into the somewhat drab architecture of Acuities the faot remains triumphantly however, are those which show most theiie .t .t 9 , 11 ,a message worthy of being
Amenmii uiue. ana tne quii nue o pprent tiat who tae nrst iqea. an v . s, v. , ai - eternal
American noran, win come toe uju- adequate ana tnorougoiy praise-worthy oason ecnooi. ah are nere to te studied,
mmmiiuu t mj rumantic, Dniiiant, success nas Been acnieveo, ana tnat ion room ot tne wonaenui worK or i. nl1t nf a . 0 --- - -- - i . . b.iiu ri8ini " mo x. r icr. n ny
frank, d.rect use of deaa. clear colors, with the second, the retrospective and Frank Duveneck recalls the Munich .rLVJt Tf ?" ffiSS 'In'akK TrlToTll TeTJ TFtSll&Z? ?2SS.
aaaj ui iuuenem art. ocuuuj, nrucro So stuuieu wnere ao xiuences aua. reiationsnips into the again, .uook, and look again and learn has rarely been shown, if ever, in such ever do.
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bearing Of the " . . uiuviu nnv a. lili.ni iu iiiftiium
inc. .nri ii it,, fresh beauty, like buds under sunshine. Disposed to a larse extent out of doors.
in the light of Interest! - in niches amid living greenery, by the
Impossible to compress into a few shore of a lake as romantic as the
a
re is the Tarbeli rnn wifv. it. - .. . ... . , .. . ' magazine pages more than a few hints picture by Bocklin which inspired th
.of how- the Mu.n't rw: " eT ?? l"! w.on piacf- and InstigaUons. a rapid and bold out- rotunda that dominates it. the sculp
lnnr n va " . ,,. - thl, f , , tK ., ture araws soimrauun iiui.i ciuwus
get pleasure from, what thev sea here. " . " " which if vlewinir it in formal rows in
Now.' in which good work
arts exniDiuon. 4any dooks will spring a museum would remiin, indifferent. In
from the subject. Better yet. many a word, the influence of the art at the
works will also derive from it pic- exposition is a living one; it ia a vital
0.1 u. tures. sculptures, etchings, drawings: urge, and will tnereto.-e stimulate crea
TnAana andlaia vital) rir Mnk(nn. . n 1 a a-m m, mA .m 1
This room of the wonderful work of , ! ,,; A, stir or artistic interest no instruction is , . Z . an(1 orisinal ln the fa rored few. as no
tion destined to be limitative in most.